Home Sweet Vegas
by 2-huge-tiva-shippers-and-mary
Summary: Wendy Sims had been living in Portland for several years, but she couldn't let her past behind her and move on. Then one day, she received a phone call that required her going back to Vegas...
1. Chapter 1

A/N: And I'm back (again).

This story has just been sitting around my computer for almost a year. It is my first story in the CSI fandom so I hope that the characters don't seem ooc.

Disclaimer: If I owned CSI, Grissom and Sara would have never divorced, Greg and Morgan would be together and Wendy would have never left. Plus, Brown would not have died. So no, I don't own a thing.

Also, I apologise in advance for any mistakes I've made because 1. English is not my first or even second language and 2. I haven't watched CSI in a long time and some facts might be wrong.

Enjoy!

* * *

4 years. It has been 4 whole years since Wendy Sims accepted a job in Portland, Oregon.

3 years since she quit her old job in Las VEGAS, Nevada. 3 years that she hasn't talked to anyone from the lab. Well, except for Catherine whom she's seen during a joint FBI-Portland Police Department case. That meeting brought up some old memories including the one of her resignation.

"Come in," Catherine said when she heard the knock on the door.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Wendy asked nervously.

"Sure. Is there a problem?" she asked removing her glasses.

Wendy didn't respond immediately. Instead, she took a seat and kept staring at floor.

"Hey, you know that you can talk to me," Catherine said while making her way from behind her desk to the vacant sit opposite Wendy's.

Wendy raised her hand, her eyes full of tears threatening to fall any second. "I was offered a new job."

"You did? Congratulations. Where?"

"At the crime lab in Portland."

"With your sister?"

Wendy nodded in response.

"Have you accepted yet?"

"No, not yet. I wanted to tell you first so that you could find a replacement. I would not like to leave you short-handed."

"You wouldn't. Does Hodges know?"

Wendy's head snapped. "No, why would he? You're the first person to find out."

"Ok, ok. Don't bite. I just asked because I know that you two are close, that's all. So, when do you leave?" asked Catherine standing up.

Next week, probably. I don't know yet," she said copying Catherine's actions.

"Let me know," she said pulling her into a hug. "And talk to Hodges. The guy is in love with you, he has the right to know."

"I... I don't know," replied Wendy pulling away and walking out of the office.

_David Hodges._ A big part of her life and probably the most important one.

If you asked them what was their relationship, they would say that there was no relationship, just friendship.

From Wendy's part, it was not.

She had feelings for him. The kind of feelings that gave her butterflies in her stomach every time he smiled at her or a jolt of electricity when his glove-dresses fingers accidentally brushed against hers.

She did give into her feelings once.

It was more of a subconscious move but a desirable one nonetheless.

It was the day she and Henry were supposed to go out on a date and she pulled every prank that she could think of on him so that he would cancel the date because she had only accepted his offer to make Hodges jealous.

Not only wasn't he jealous but he also took the blame for the pranks without asking anything from Wendy in return.

That was the moment she realised that her feelings towards him went beyond friendly, so she kissed him.

It didn't last long but it was long enough for her to get a taste of him and make her want more of him, of the kiss, of them together.

Denying it would be the understatement of the century. Maybe of the past three centuries.

She definitely wanted more, but at the same time she wanted more from her job .

Her dream was not to remain a lab tech for the rest of her career. She wanted to work on the field, to become a CSI. Her job in Las Vegas did not offer her that opportunity, the job in Portland did.

So she had to make a choice. Be a lab tech in Vegas next to Hodges or be a CSI in Portland with her sister. As much as she liked sunny Vegas and the people who lived there, she was first and foremost an ambitious person, who wanted to further her career. She had goals and the time had come to achieve them.

And that is why she decided to accept the job. She told everyone except for Hodges. She kept him in dark until the last possible moment because if she had told him earlier he would have tried to talk her into staying and she couldn't. Chances like that one in Portland came once in a lifetime and she was smart enough to grab it even if that meant that her heart would suffer. She didn't care. She wanted to make her dream come true with any cost.

And then came the farewell. Catherine knew some people in the Portland lab and some phone calls, Henry gave her some tips and advice. There were a few tears from Mandy and a couple more female techs she was friends with, a lot of hugs and wishes. Until she told David. That was the worst part. She had considered many times to leave without saying goodbye to him but there was something inside her that wanted to see him one last time, to stare into those icy-blue eyes that haunted her dreams, just once more.

Those were the worst ten minutes of her entire life. His eyes betrayed all of his feelings: confusion, desperation and hurt. It was all there for her to see, to make her doubt her decision. Which is why she hadn't allowed him to hug her. She had known that if she had let herself to surrender to his warm embrace, she would have given into his pleas. So she pushed his hands away and ran out the lab and into her car as fast as her legs would carry her.

The first half a dozen months in Portland were a series of training classes and by the end she had become really good at using a gun. She succeeded in her job too, quickly gaining the respect of the other CSI's and so she concentrated on her job. That was until she met a guy, Steve.

Steve was everything a woman would ever want from a man. He was handsome, funny, a gentleman always complimenting her and a great lover. But he ruined everything when he proposed. You know the whole cliché watching the sunset and the bending on one knee .

She lost it. She was in love with him but didn't love him. There is an enormous different between those two phrases. One she realised too late. So she denied because in the end they would end up miserable and none of them deserved that. So she politely declined and explained to him that even though he was an amazing guy and anyone would be lucky to have him, he wasn't the one for her. He responded better than she expected him to and they broke up in a very civilised way and as it turned out, Steve became her best friend and they spend a lot of time together.

Her life at the lab became a dull and boring routine. Case after case, murder after murder she felt that something was missing, something that she just couldn't put a finger on it until she got a phone call that made everything clear to her.

"Hello?" she greeted.

"Wendy Sims?" asked a familiar voice over the other end of the line.

"I'm DB Russell, from the Las Vegas Crime Lab."

"Russell. Yes, I remember you. Where do I owe this pleasure?"

"I've decided to retire, which means that my team needs a new member. I didn't want to bring a stranger so I thought about you. I'm offering you a job as a CSI."

"So, let me get this straight. You want me to rejoin the lab as a CSI this time?"

"Yes I am."

"Then yes I accept," she replied immediately.

"Good. I expect you to be here in two weeks. We will be in touch. Enjoy your afternoon," he said and hung up.

Only when the line went dead did she come back to reality.

"What did you just do?" a voice in her hand asked.

"You accepted a job in Las Vegas," replied another voice that sounded much like Hodges.

"Oh my God, David. I'm going to see David again. I can't do this. I can't," she said out loud.

"Yes you can," said the Hodges-like voice. "This is what has been missing from your life and you know it. You miss me."

The voice was right. She did miss him. A lot. There was no reason to deny it. The fact the she was going to meet him again made her feel over the moon, on cloud nine and any other expression used to describe happiness. Then she thought about her sister Vera who would be really devastated by her decision to go back to Las Vegas.

But frankly, Wendy didn't give a damn. They would still talk on the phone on a daily basis much like they did before she moved to Portland. Also, she hated the rainy and cold weather and craved for Nevada's warmth. She immediately called her sister who was, as she had predicted, sad to learn that her sister was leaving but she understood and accepted her decision. Next, she went to the lab and handed in her resignation to her superior, Mark Johnson.

The next couple of weeks passed really quickly. She didn't realise when she booked the ticket, packed her stuff or said goodbye to her colleagues. Next thing she knew, Vera was dropping her off at the airport and she was boarding the plane for good old Vegas...

* * *

TBC...

So what do you think?

Until next time

~F


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm so sorry! I know that I was supposed to update yesterday but my computer was acting weird.

I want to thank all of you for reading and reviewing.

Enjoy!

* * *

A six-hour flight, a headache and a back pain later, Wendy landed in Las Vegas.

It felt good to be back home. She considers Vegas her home because the past few years she's learnt that home is not a city or a house, it is the person that you care the most. And only that person can make you feel like you're truly home. She had yet to meet a person who made her feel like that. (She tried to ignore the little voice in her head that kept telling her that she already knew who that person was.)

She passed through the passport check and retrieved her luggage. She then got out of the airport only for the sun and the Las Vegas warmth hit her. It was almost 7 o'clock in the afternoon, but the sun was still present and casting its shiny golden rays. She closed her eyes and socked up as much sunshine as she could. It felt like heaven compared to Portland's rainy weather. She could have stayed like that forever had she not been that tired. So she opened her eyes and caught a cab and gave the driver the address of her new apartment.

Nick had texted her the day before with the address. He was the one who chose the apartment for her and was also the one who will pick her up tomorrow and drive her to work. He was also the only person aside from Russell who knew she was coming because he has the one who would take over Russel's position.

She arrived at her apartment two hours later. It was on the third floor of a ten story building. It had two bedrooms, one bathroom and the living room was connected to the kitchen. It was nothing big, but she liked it. It was she ordered some italian, had a much-needed shower and finally surrendered to a deep sleep.

She must had been really exhausted because next thing she knew, was her alarm clock going off next to her. She looked at the clock. It was 7 o'clock and Nick would pick her up in an hour. She got up, had a shower again, had breakfast, got dressed, made her bed and other chores around her new place and then minutes later, she heard a car horn. She looked out of the window and saw Nick waiting in his car. Quickly she grabbed her purse, locked the door behind her and got in the elevator.

"Long time, no see," Nick said while stepping out of his car to embrace her.

"Yes, I know. I'm happy to be back," she replied, giving him a smile.

"C'mon let's go. You don't want to be late on your first day back to work."

"I certainly don't," Wendy replied with a laugh.

During the ride they talked about the weather, politics, sports, Wendy's work back in Portland, the two new women in the team, how they have both seen Catherine since she joined the FBI, how he was the one who suggested her to Russell and so on.

"Wendy, is that you?" Greg asked once he stepped out of his car and approached her.

"Yes Greg, it's me," she replied, accepting his hug.

"What brings you around here?" he asked, curious about his old co-worker's appearance.

"I'm here for work. I'm the new girl," she said shyly.

"Really? I didn't know. I'm glad we won't have to work with a newbie."

"Morning guys," Sara said, appearing right behind them.

"Wendy?" she stopped and did a double-take.

"Good morning, Sara."

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Portland?" she asked.

"I was, until Russell offered me a job here, and I accepted it."

"I'm glad you are back," Sara said and hugged her.

"Thank you."

"Can we join the party too?" Archie asked, accompanied by Henry.

"Sure," Wendy replied.

"Wendy!" the both exclaimed in unison.

"Yes, it's me!"

"What are you doing here?" Henry asked.

"I accepted the job."

"That's great news ."

"Yes, we've missed you around here," Henry added.

"Yeah, 'cause no one else can handle Hodges like you did," Greg commented, which made all of them laugh.

The smile died on Wendy's lips. Hodges, of course. She would have to see him eventually.

"I would really like to sit and chat, guys, but I have a meeting with Russell, so if you excuse me."

There was a chorus of 'Of course' and promises to see each other before she entered the lab.

Even more people greeted her and recognised her before she reached Russell's office. Somewhere in between, Nick received a phone call and had to leave, leaving her on her own. Quickly, she found Russell's office and knocked on the door. It hit her then that the last time she knocked on that door was to resign. She didn't get to dwell on her thoughts as she heard Russell talk.

"Come on in," Russell said.

"Sims, you are late."

"I know and I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise. It's just that I was stalled by all the people who greeted me," she replied, quite embarrassed.

"I understand," he said. "Have a seat ."

She stayed there for nearly two hours as the discussed her shifts and payment, amongst other things. After signing her contract, he introduced her to the two new additions to the team and was also shown to her locker and was given her vest, which had her last name written on it.

She felt like she had made the right choice to return back to this lab. It was where she began her career and where she wanted to end it. She has to admit that at her job in Portland she gained experience and skills, but she always felt like there was a void in her heart. She was never truly happy. Not even during her relationship with Steve.

But now it was time to forget about her past and focus on the future that laid out in front of her.

Only when she was preparing for bed that night did she realise that she had not seen Hodges during the few hours she spent at the lab. While she had met with all lab techs, old and new ones, the one she desperately wanted to was nowhere to be seen. She had been tempted to go into his lab a few times but she could never get her feet to cooperate.

_Maybe tomorrow_, she thought as sleep pulled her under.

* * *

"That's weird," Hodges thought to himself.

His morning had started like any other that day. Everything was normal until he arrived at work. Not only did he have a feeling that something big was going to happen but every time he entered a room, people would stop talking. He was used to people talking about him behind his back, it wasn't something new. It was the look they gave him that troubled him. They looked at him like they knew something he didn't. Which was impossible because he was always the first to find out about everything new that happened in the lab.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed out on something really important.

* * *

I know, I know no Wedges reunion. Don't worry, that's going to happen next chapter I promise.

Until next time

~F


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello my amazing readers. Anyone remember this story? Well its back with the chapter that you've all been waiting for!

So, this story has roughly 2 or 3 chapters left.

I apologise for the lack of updates. I got busy with other projects and life but I promise I'll try to update more regularly.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my mistakes which might be numerous as English is a third language to me.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Morning everyone," Wendy greeted, stretching her hands over her head. It was 5:30 in the morning and they already had a case.

"What do we have?" she asked, taking pictures of the dead body.

"A male John Doe, Caucasian, approaximentally 20-25 years old. He was found by a couple who was making its' way from a night out," Brass replied, pointing to the couple a few feet from them. "Sara is taking their statement. Two GSR to the back. Looks like a robbery, guy's missing his wallet, cell and watch."

"Ok, thanks," she said taking a few more pictures.

For the next three hours, or so, Wendy and the rest of the CSI crew took photos, talked to witnesses, which were not many as the murder was commited in between 4:30 and 5:00 in the morning, according to David. They also collected evidence from the victim, from the area around the city, bagged and signed them and then sent them to the lab for further analysis.

By the end of the day, they had ID'd their victim, who was a 23 year old college student named Chris Montgomery. He had no siblings and his parents lived just outside of Vegas. They were devastated by the news and were not able to give a meant that the team had nothing better to do than go home, sleep and come in tomorrow to work on the case. No one argued with that. They all said their "goodnight's" and left, leaving Wendy behind.

She was at the locker room, grabbing her bag, when she heard an oh so familiar voice calling her name.

Wendy turned her head and came face to face with the one and only David Hodges.

"Hodges! Hi! And before you ask, I'm here working."

"Wow," was all he was able to were standing opposite of each other, a good 10 feet distance between them.

Finally, she thought to herself. She had been thinking and dreaming about this moment for a long time.

"Wow," he said once again.

"Yeah, I figured that out the first time you said it," she replied with a sad smile.

"What do you expect me to say, Wendy?"

She honestly didn't have an answer to that. She just stood there, hands in the front pockets of her jean, waiting for him to continue.

"You walked away from me without an explanation, you didn't answer my phone calls, nor my texts, nor my e-mails. Nothing..." his voice cracked a little when he said the last word and tears had began to gather in his eyes. "And now suddenly you come back out of the blue and expect me to feel all gleeful?" he asked furious.

Apparently, he had been bottling this feeling up for too long and he was ready to give her a piece of his mind. "Sorry to disappoint you, but it doesn't work that way. You broke my heart," he said the last sentence practically in a whisper. Had it not been earily quiet, she might have missed it.

"Do you know what that means?" he continued near in tears.

"I..." Wendy was at a loss of words.

"It was a rhetorical question, Wendy."

Wendy felt tears streaming down her face. She should have seen that coming. She was naive to believe that this conversation could have gone smoothly. She wiped off some tears and waited for the next mental blow that he was going to give her.

"You were the only person I ever, EVER, cared about. But no, you had to take that away from me. Why, was your dream job more important than me, than us?" he asked, tears falling freely down his face. He didn't even bother wiping them off, his mind was too preoccupied.

"You know what? Don't bother answering that. I already know the answer. I have to go."

With that said, he wiped off some tears and turned around, ready to leave the room.

"David, please wait," she whispered, desperation evident in her voice.

Hodges came to an abrupt halt. Did he just hear that? Had Wendy just pleaded him? His body subconsciously turned to face her. She was crying and it was even worse knowing that he was the one who had caused it. If he could, he would have gathered her in his arms and takeb all that pain away from her.

But he didn't. He was too hurt himself to be able to do anything for her. Besides, his ego got in the way. He was a man after all. A very proud one. So, instead, he stood, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for her to continue.

Wendy raised her head to look at him, brown watery eyes meeting equally watery blue ones.

It was as if time stopped and everything

"David, yaou didn't let me explain myself. You asked many questions, but you didn't let me answer any of them. So please listen and do not interrupt me, please," she begged him and took a couple of steps forward.

"I know that I left you, but not without any explanation. You knew that my dream was to work in the field. When that opportunity was given to me, I took it. You know very well that if I hadn't done it, I would've regreted it for the rest of my life."

He could only nod in understandment. He did know that Wendy always wanted to work as a CSI. They had spent hours talking about that subject, he should not have been surprised when she accepted the job. He knew it was bound to happen someday, but that didn't mean that he accepted it.

"The job was great, I learned a lot of things and everybody treated me with respect, but I always felt that something was missing. There was always a void in my heart."

She removed her hands from her jean pockets and let them hang lazily on her sides.

"That something was Vegas, the team... you. I was not expecting you to be as happy about seeing me as you would be if you won a jackpot. I am not naive nor stupid."

"You're no..."

"Shh," Wendy said, placing a finger on his lips. He was clearly taken aback by the gesture.

And to be honest, she was taken aback by her boldness too. She just hoped that she hadn't gone to far because this was the moment that would either make them or brake them.

"The only thing I want, and need, is for you to not shut me out of your life. I want us to be the old Wendy &amp; Hodges, who argued and got on each other's nerves all the time, who met on Astro Quest conventions. I want to start from the beginning. Like I'm new here and we're meeting for the first time. That's all I'm asking for," Wendy said, removing her finger from his lips.

Hodges didn't even have to think about it before he agreed. Wendy wiped off the rest of her tears, gave him her best smile and extended her right hand.

"Hi, I'm Wendy Sims. I'm a CSI, aka the new girl on the team. It's nice to meet you."

"Hello, Wendy. I'm David Hodges. I'm an occational CSI and the pleasure is all mine," he replied. a huge grin appearing on his face.

"Are you hungry? I know the best Chinese restaurant in the city." He hoped that his offer was not too much.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't eaten since noon and Chinese sounds extra tasty right now," She had to admit that he was playing it nice.

"Ok, then. Wait one moment, I have to grab my bag and then we are free to go," he said walking past her.

"Oh, and before I forget, welcome back," he whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her skin, leaving her speechless.

* * *

So, what did you guys think? Love it? Not love it? Was it worth the wait? Let me know but please keep in mind that constructive criticism is welcomed as long as it is not disrespectful towards me and my hard work.

Until next time

~F


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